Sen. Doug Jones is co-sponsoring a measure to continue paying military service members during the federal government shutdown that started Friday at midnight.

The measure was introduced by Sen. Claire McCaskill (D-Mo.) shortly after members of the U.S. Senate failed to reach an agreement to keep the government running before the Friday deadline. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell objected to the motion, according to the Washington Post.

According to the Post, a Pentagon planning memo stated that uniformed active duty military members are expected to continue performing their duties, but will not get paid until the shutdown ends.

"Around the world and here at home, our military and their families continue to serve during this shutdown," Jones said in a statement. "Senator McConnell pledged that we would vote on a measure to guarantee that they will continue to get paid, but two days later he still hasn't kept his promise to hold a vote. I co-sponsored this measure immediately after the shutdown took effect early Saturday morning because our troops don't deserve to become a pawn in this political game. I am calling on the Majority Leader to bring this bill to an immediate vote in the Senate so we can provide certainty to those brave men and women who continue to sacrifice on our behalf."

Jones isn't the only Alabama politician making an issue of military pay. U.S. Rep. Bradley Byrne, a Republican who represents Mobile and other parts of southwest Alabama, has asked for his pay to be withheld until the shutdown ends.

Republicans and Democrats reached an impasse over protections for undocumented immigrants brought to the country as children, as well as disaster aid and funding for the opioid crisis. Republicans need 60 votes to pass a spending bill to keep the government going. Jones and McCaskill crossed party lines and voted for the Republican plan that would have kept the government open, alongside three other Democrats.